While in college and graduate school, I always wanted to take a course with a faculty member that looked like me, no matter how many times that did not happen. I really wanted a faculty member who understood what it is to be a person of color or a Black male on a college campus, someone who I knew understood my experience without me having to explain it because they had lived it too.
I am often reminded of the time when I chaired an accreditation team visit to San Quentin Prison for a review of Mt. Tamalpais College, and one of their students was shocked that I was the president of Compton College. That student didn’t know it was possible for someone from their community who listens to the same west coast rap they do, could become a college president. I was the embodiment of “yes, this is possible.”
Just as teachers of color are important to children in the K-12 system, diverse faculty benefits Black learners and academic communities in higher education at large. Diverse faculty brings valuable experience and expertise to campus while cultivating a more productive learning environment with a wide variety of perspectives and approaches. Research shows a positive relationship between student outcomes like retention, transfer, and completion for underrepresented minority students and increased faculty diversity at community colleges1.
Aside from academic outcomes, a diverse faculty provides a sense of belonging and inclusivity for Black learners, which is especially important at PWIs, where both students of color and faculty are underrepresented. Moreover, Black learners benefit from the mentorship of diverse faculty who often have shared experiences and look like them. Underrepresented students who take courses with faculty who look like them are validated in a way that encourages student engagement and achievement inside and outside of the classroom.
In Fall 2020, only 7 percent of full-time faculty were Black2. Creating improved and more equitable institutional hiring and retention practices is key not only in increasing faculty diversity but also attracting and supporting Black students in higher education, which is more important now than ever as we face enrollment declines among Black learners. Prioritizing diverse faculty is indicative of a commitment to creating a supportive environment for underrepresented students and one that is conducive to a greater learning experience for all students.
To learn more about how we can support Black learners as they navigate higher education, visit: https://www.community4blacklearnerexcellence.com/publications.
References
- Cross, J. D., & Carman, C. A. (2022). The relationship between faculty diversity and student success in public community colleges. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 46(12), 855-868.
- National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Characteristics of Postsecondary Faculty. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved May 31, 2022, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/csc.